Overlapping homologous superfamilies

Family relationships

Description

Cannabinoid receptors are a class of cell membrane receptors that belong to the rhodopsin-like G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) family [PMID: 12432948, PMID: 18426493, PMID: 19273110]. Typical of G protein-coupled receptors, cannabinoid receptors contain seven transmembrane spanning domains [PMID: 19273110]. Cannabinoid receptors are activated by three major groups of ligands: endocannabinoids, such as N-arachidonoylethanolamine and 2-arachidonoyl glycerol (produced by the mammalian body), plant cannabinoids, such as tetrahydrocannabinol [PMID: 6268916, PMID: 5538858] (produced by the plant Cannabis sativa ) and synthetic cannabinoids, such as HU-210 [PMID: 7565624]. Currently, two known cannabinoid receptor subtypes have been identified, CB1 receptor and CB2 receptor [PMID: 2165569, PMID: 7689702], and are phylogenetically restricted to the chordate branch of the animal kingdom [PMID: 21079038]. The International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology (IUPHAR) has identified five pharmacological targets that could be used to find new cannabinoid receptors or channels [PMID: 21079038], which has resulted in a number of cannabinoid receptors being considered. TRP vanilloid 1 (IPR024863), which is thought to function as an ionotropic cannabinoid receptor [PMID: 21079038], and some deorphanised GPCRs [PMID: 21079038]: GPR18, GPR55, GPR119. However, according to the criteria, no channel, non-CB1/CB2 established receptor or deorphanised receptor can currently be classified fully as a novel cannabinoid receptor [PMID: 21079038].

This entry represents the cannabinoid receptor family, which includes cannabinoid receptor 1 and cannabinoid receptor 2.